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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dodavehu" data-source="post: 4858773" data-attributes="member: 72767">Chapter one--Something Old, Something NewChapter OneSomething Old, Something New Aulenir takes a holiday from studies at the Magisterium to return home, visit his father and sister, and meet her new fiancee. After the three of them catch up, Desmond, their father, expresses just how proud he is of them. His son is off at the Magisterium becoming a wizard while his daughter is starting a family of her own with a noble and influencial paladin. He says that they remind him more of their adventurous mother everyday. With that he digs through a cedar chest and gives them a small, ornate box. He says that this was something their mother had left to an old friend of hers. He has been too reluctant to let go of it, but now he realizes that his children are all that he needs to remind him of his former lover. He tells the twins to take the box to a dwarf named "Lefty" at the Stoned Martyr Tavern and Inn. Later that night, Lia's fiancee, Ethan, arrives and has dinner with them. He is intrigued with mission and asks if he can come along. They agree and the three set off the next day to try to find the Inn.  All doesn't go well though. They soon realize that they are lost in the (one of the many) bad part of town. They are attacked by a gang of goblins calling themselves the Spider Guts. These creatures assult them with acids, poisons, and explosives demanding that they give them money. At the last minute, an aselesti wizards jumps out of hiding to offer aid. Aulenir quickly recognizes him as his roommate from the Magisterium, Rem. With the combined efforts of Aulenir, Ethan, Lia, and Rem they are able to defeat most of them and drive the rest away.  After the battle, Rem explains that he caught Aulenir sneaking out. Auliner then admits to Lia and Ethan that the Magisterium denied his request to visit his family. Rem says that Aullenir owns him one, but that he can lead them to the Inn. They continue on their way for a while until a group of city guards approach them. One of the goblins was with them and screamed that the trio was the one who attacked his friends as they were taking a walk around the city while screaming racist epithets. The guards try to get to the bottom of it, but it quickly degrades into another fight as more goblins show up.  As the battle pours out to the street, a warforged cleric, Relic, sees a group of goblins and guards attacking a fellow follower of Latemel. He joins the fray which quickly becomes a chase through the crowded streets.  They eventually make it to saftey and Rem comments on one of the prizes that Aulenir took from a fallen goblin. It was a glowing gem that Rem called a "Goddess Tear." He said that Auliner should give it to him as payment for his services and continued silence. Aulenir refused and challenged him to a mageduel. Aulenir was victorious, but many saw that the magic he performed was something unlike that of a wizard.  They arrived at the Stoned Martyr without further incident. Inside is a huge tavern seemingly populated by war ventrens and adventurers. After some narrowly avoided trouble from some drunk dwarves seated nearby, a minotaur employee comes over to them. He introduces himself as Vincent and has a pleasent conversation with them about Aulenir and Lia's mother and about Lefty. He goes to tell the old dwarf and returns to tell them that Lefty can close the bar early and see them later that night. They enjoy the bar for a while and eventually Lia and Aulenir are led to his chamber upstairs.  Lefty is an ancient dwarf that looks about two minutes away from cumbling into dust. He's full of scars, wears heavy iron boots, and is missing his right arm. He speaks fondly of their mother and opens the box. He holds back tears and explains that it contains the elven dagger she stole from her homeland in her childhood. He tells them that all five of them are welcome in his bar anytime.  Their conversation is interrupted by sounds downstairs. They all rush down and see that Rem, Relic, Ethan, and Vincent are engaged in battle outside. Apparently the Spider Gut Goblins had been following them and wanted revenge for earlier that day since half of their number was now in jail or killed. A huge golden axe covered in glowing runes appeared in Lefty's hand and he started defending everyone. The goblins lured them into the building next door, an apothecary, and then made it clear that they had rigged the building to explode.  They all rushed out, but Vincent had fallen unconscious and they weren't able to get to him before it exploded in a ball of fire and acid.  They all mourned the loss of the minotaur who showed them unparrelled kindness, but Lefty said that he died a warrior's death.  Rem and Aulenir return to the Magisterum undetected, but Rem is clearly bitter about losing the duel. Ethan thanks Relic for all the help and offers to house him in his church for the night. Both of the holy men wonder if they should say anything about Aulenir's apparent dark magics on their way home. Before any of them reach their homes though, they are met by city guards and arrested.</blockquote>

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